VICTORY CERTAIN

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24336, 28 June 1940, Page 7

VICTORY CERTAIN

BRITAIN CONFIDENT READY FOR INVADER \ FRANCE’S FATE A LESSON (United Press Association) (By Electric Telegraph—Copyright) LONDON. June 26. The Minister for War (Mr Anthony Eden), broadcasting, said Great Britain was well provided with guns, which, assisted by the powerful Air Force, would make the lot of an air invader increasingly unenviable. The R.A.F. during the evacuation from Dunkirk had destroyed as many, as 70 German planes in one day. Mr Eden emphasised the official advice to civilians to “ stay put ” when attacked, and added that a brave, disciplined citizen population was essential to the foundation for home defence. But the enemy would soon learn that it was not the nature of our people to sit placidly and be bombed without retort. No battle was won by standing on the defensive. We would sally' against the enemy when the time came. Already we were achieving success in offensive operations in other parts of the world. Stating why he thought eyery other form of enemy offensive besides aerial attack would be defeated, Mr Eden said Mr Churchill had announced the fact that there were 1,250,000 men under arms in Britain, excluding 500,000 local defence volunteers. Canadian and Allied troops, who had been arriving from France. Never before had we so many soldiers in this inland. “We are confident that we can throw sufficient forces against any enemy who attempts to land on our shores, attack him, and defeat him,” he added. “We do not underestimate the enemy, but, for once, he will be operating under the disadvantages which we have always experienced in our Continental wars, and, in addition, he will have to supply his forces overseas without possessing command of the seas. I can, therefore, speak to you to-night in a spirit of reasoned confidence.” Mr Eden said the time was approaching when the enemy would launch an attack on Britain. No doubt the bombing attacks at the height already started would be continued, “I am convinced that they will be repulsed and that we shall subject the enemy in his own country to constant and heavy counter-attack from the air,” he declared. “I am confident that the enemy will be beaten off. first, because of the British character. The fate of France is a lesson. It is only by dedication of the human spirit and the human will through ihe length and breadth of the land that complete and final victory can be won.” Already, though operating at a great disadvantage, the R.A.F. had inflicted severe losses upon the enemy. It had often had to fight far from its bases or from extemporised bases. It had never yet met the enemy without numerical odds being in enemy favour. “ But remember what happened on the only occasion when it was operating from its own bases and when the numerical odds were not utterly fantastic.” he said, in reference to Dunkirk. Help from United States Concluding, Mr Eden said: “Apart from our own strength we are receiving great help from the United States, with strong support from public opinion in that country, which is sending us supplies of arms and munitions. By so doing they are rendering us service of which we are in need for a cause which they have fully understood. “ Let me make it quite clear. We are obtaining munitions not in the hope that they will delay conquest of our land but because we are confident that we can win the war. Our stranglehold is still on Germany. “Already in .other parts of the world we are achieving success in offensive operations. It is this offensive spirit which so clearly animates our forces in the Middle East. It augurs well for the future. We can have no doubt about the issue, vou and I. This is a conflict between two ways of life, and it admits of no compromise. It is an age-long struggle between good and evil. This is a struggle for the future of man and for the external freedom of his mind and soul.”